Chinese woman to sue US government

A Chinese businesswoman, who was allegedly beaten up by officers of the US Customs and Border Protection force last week near the US-Canada border, plans to bring a $5million lawsuit against the US government.

Zhao Yan, who was on a business trip to the US, has vowed to bring the assailants to justice by legal means, the Chinese media reported on Thursday.

"I will never give up the lawsuit until the perpetrators are brought to justice and punished," a weeping Zhao Yan told Chinese reporters at the office of her attorney in New York. Her lawyer said the lawsuit would 'most likely' be filed immediately after the conclusion of the criminal case, which is expected to be heard on September 20.

Seated in a wheelchair, Zhao (37) wore a hat and sunglasses to cover bumps and bruises on her forehead for fears that her family back in China would be upset if they watched TV footage of her.

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Zhao, who is from the northern Chinese coastal city of Tianjin, said she was still suffering from a bad headache, swollen eyes and mental trauma, six days after she was allegedly brutally attacked by officers of the US Customs and Border Protection force in Niagara Falls near the US-Canadian border.

Zhao said she was beaten by more than one Customs and Border Protection officer, who mistook her and two others for drug smugglers.

Zhao's experience has drawn much attention from the Chinese government and media. Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing on Monday raised the issue with US Secretary of State Colin Powell and urged Washington to carry out a thorough investigation into the attack.